Prep Basketball: Jerry Schmitz named Bison girls’ coach

From left, Patrick Haggarty accepting for his late aunt, Sister Rita Mudd, Jerry Schmitz, Sarah Habel and Don Cramer are inducted into the University of Great Falls Athletic Hall of Fame two years ago. Schmitz on Thursday was named new head girls’ basketball coach at Great Falls High.(Photo: Tribune File Photo)Buy Photo

Jerry Schmitz didn’t spend much time on the bench as a basketball player.

But he loves the vantage point these days, and that’s why he’s back in the head coaching business.

Schmitz, the former University of Great Falls hoop star who has coached both boys’ and girls’ basketball on both sides of the river in the Electric City, has been named to lead the GFH girls’ program. Gary DeGooyer, athletic director for Great Falls Public Schools, made the announcement Thursday that Schmitz has been hired, pending school board approval.

“I just enjoy it, when it comes right down to it,” said Schmitz, a former head coach of the C.M. Russell High girls’ team who has been an assistant for both boys and girls in recent years at Great Falls High. “It’s no different whether you’re a teacher or not, you coach because you enjoy it. There’s always good and bad with everything, but for the majority of the time coaching for me is just great.”

DeGooyer said there were 10 applicants and three finalists received interviews. Schmitz takes over from Gregg Dart, who resigned last month after a successful run with the Bison girls. Schmitz was one of Dart’s assistant coaches last season.

“Jerry is as good a man as there is and knows basketball as well as anybody,” DeGooyer said. “I’m very, very confident in his ability.”

Schmitz, 53, was the head coach of the CMR girls for eight seasons, from 1990-97 and had a 76-92 record. He led the Rustlers to five state Class AA tournaments and one state championship game. In 1991 the Rustlers finished as state runner-ups.

The Schmitz family has been known for basketball at Great Falls High. Jerry and his wife, Sherri, have five children who all starred for the Bison, a group that includes daughters Megan and Michela, and sons Jerry Jr. and Matt. Youngest daughter Molly will be a sophomore at GFH next season. She was a key contributor this year before suffering a knee injury.

DeGooyer said Schmitz was chosen from a solid pool of applicants.

“We had good candidates to pick from,” DeGooyer said. “Jerry is good with kids and like I said, no one knows the game better.”

Schmitz is a former College of Great Falls basketball standout who works as a certified public accountant in Great Falls. The native of Aurora, Colo., is in the University of Great Falls athletic Hall of Fame.

He said Great Falls High has a special place in his heart.

“That makes a big difference,” he said. “It’s a place with a lot of tradition and definitely a lot of basketball tradition. I think it’s a great place to be and I’m really looking forward to it.”